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About 40 support and technical workers at Canada Post's South Central processing facility on Eastern Avenue didn't report for work Monday morning.

The striking workers, who number up to 2,500 across Canada, are protesting against the new disability and family-leave system that Canada Post is offering.

The Crown Corporation is proposing a short-term disability program to replace its existing sick-leave and family-leave credit system.

Canada Post is also promising income protection as well as a 2.5 per cent wage increase in the first two years of a four-year contract. It is also offering a 2.75 per cent raise in the last two years of the new contract as well as seven weeks of holidays after 29 years of service.

Contract negotiations between Canada Post and the members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), one of the country's largest unions representing 165,000 workers, officially collapsed late last week.

The two sides have not officially met since Nov. 7. No future talks are planned at this time.

PSAC's collective agreement expired last August and negotiations got underway last June.

Last Friday, nearly 90 per cent of its members voted in favour of a strike.

In a release, Canada Post indicates it made an attempt on Sunday, Nov. 16 to "break the impasse with the bargaining agent, by addressing the issues on the table in a realistic and responsible manner."

Over in south Riverdale, the small group of striking workers braved sub-zero temperatures and took up stations at the entrances to the plant, stopping incoming trucks and delivery vans and asking drivers to wait up to 20 minutes before entering the gated areas.

In a release, Canada Post assured mail delivery would not be affected by the strike.

Lynn Plumley, a payroll and benefits worker at the Eastern Avenue facility, said that it's unacceptable to change employee benefits, especially for the many long-term staff members.

"They're trying to take away benefits that we've worked several years to acquire," said Plumley, who has 34 years of service with the company. "We're sick of them picking on us."

During the strike, a team of managers will cover the basic services that the striking workers provide.